Melanie Brandman’s Famous Pavlova Recipe!

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Melanie’s Pavlova Recipe

 

4 egg white (room temperature)

1 cup of white sugar (fine)

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

½ teaspoon white wine vinegar

 

Topping

1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Season fruit

 

This is a very simple, yet impressive dessert to make.  Here are a few simple tips I have learned over the years to ensure you make the perfect Pav every time.

 

  • Make sure the egg whites are room temperature.  Take them out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before you start.
  • Place the beaters in the freezer when you leave the eggs out, to ensure they are cold before you whip the egg whites
  • Make sure the bowl you are using to whip the egg whites is perfectly clean.  No greasy residue.
  • If my sugar isn’t fine (not powered), I will often put mine in a nutri-bullet for 30 seconds.

 

Method

Turn the oven onto 350 degrees

Place the four egg whites into a clean bowl.  Use your hand beater (or whatever you call it in the usa) to whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. I keep my hand beater on the second to top speed throughout the entire making of my Pavlova.

Slowly add the sugar.  One tablespoon at a time. After the 2nd or 3rd tablespoon, add the pinch of salt.

It’s very important that this part is done slowly, and you beat the sugar in well each time.  Don’t rush it.  You will know it’s coming together nicely when the mixture starts to have a glossy finish.

Once all the sugar is added, fold in the corn starch, vanilla essence and vinegar. Just blend it in with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Take a flat baking tray and place brown baking paper (what do you call this) on it.  I use a little of the mixture under the four corners to hold the paper down.  Place your mixture in the middle of the tray, about a 8-10 inch diameter.  You can play around with the mixture to create a shape you like.  Just make sure you have enough in the middle for a nice chewy meringue once its cooked.

Place in the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 300 degrees.  Cook for 1 hour.  DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN during the process or the Pavlova will fall.

After 1 hour turn off the oven and let the Pavlova sit there for 20 minutes or so.  This is not necessary, but I find it makes the outside meringue shell even more crispy.

Once it cools decorate with whipped cream and your favorite seasonal fruits.  Even a winter fruit coulis is fun!